CosBeauty Magazine #75

Feature
Loss of
sleep
linked to
sugar
cravings
A recent study has found that
rapid eye movement (REM)
sleep loss leads to increased
consumption of unhealthy foods,
specifically sucrose and fat.
REM sleep is a unique phase
of sleep in mammals that is
closely associated with dreaming
and characterised by rapid eye
movement and almost complete
paralysis of the body.
The front part of your brain
(the prefrontal cortex) plays a
role in judging the palatability
of foods through taste, smell and
texture. People who are obese
tend to have increased activity
in the prefrontal cortex when
exposed to high-calorie foods.
The lead author on this
project, Kristopher McEown,
says: “Our results suggest that
the medial prefrontal cortex
may play a direct role in
controlling our desire to consume
weight promoting foods, high
in sucrose content, when we are
lacking sleep.”
How much
protein
do we need?
Protein is essential for the structure,
function and regulation of the
body’s cells, including muscles, skin,
hair, nails, hormones and enzymes
and antibodies. But how much of it
do we need?
This differs according to age,
gender, weight and health.
Generally it is recommended that
most adults need up to three serves
of protein per day – for example,
65 grams of lean meat, two eggs,
one cup of milk, or half a cup of
nuts or seeds.
While it is beneficial to meet
the daily protein requirements, too
much protein can have the opposite
effect. Eating a diet too high in
protein can result in protein being
stored by the body as fat.
Which
sources
are best?
Where should you be getting your
protein? Well, protein comes from
two different sources – plant based
(such as soy, nuts, legumes and grains)
and animal based (such as meat, dairy
and eggs).
Remember, not all protein is
created equal. For example, processed
meat such as bacon, sausages and fast
food should be limited as they contain
saturated fat. Vegetable sources of
protein offer healthy fibre, vitamins
and minerals. The best animal
protein choices are fish, skinless
chicken, eggs, low-fat dairy and lean
cuts of red meat – all of these options
have just one to three grams of fat per
50-calorie serving.
It’s important to remember that
while a high-protein diet can help aid
fast weight loss, those that are low in
carbohydrates are not a healthy longterm
approach. Combining sensible
portions of good quality, lean protein
with low GI carbohydrates in every
meal is the way to go. Along with
regular exercise (the golden rule!),
your body will be in balance and
lookin’ fine. CBM
102 www.cosbeauty.com.au